The Warm-Up You Should Be Doing (But Probably Aren't)

If you’ve been sitting at a desk all day (or lying in bed all night), the last thing you want to do is jump right into a challenging cardio or strength routine. “By easing your way into every workout and striving for more efficient movement in all of your joints before you begin, you’ll be able to perform at a higher level and reduce your risk of injury, no matter what you’re doing,” says New York City-based master trainer and Tier 4 coach Josh Stolz.

This series of dynamic exercises preps your body to move in various planes of motion, helps correct any imbalances or tightness you might have, and safely increases both your mobility and stability pre-workout. “First you’ll focus on muscle activation, then mobility, then stability/proprioception and last, but not least, neural activation. Start off slowly, practicing good form, and gradually pick up the pace as you go along,” says Stolz.

Perform this warm-up as a circuit, moving from one exercise to the next without rest, right before your regular strength and/or cardio workouts.